What Underlies Between
by xgirl911
Summary: 8x4 Episode insert: The soft sounds of the night janitor and random uniform cops lulled her into a false sense of security. She was so engrossed in the report that she paid no mind to the quiet snick of the door. Her guest entered silently and unbidden. She only looked up with the click of the interior lock.


A/N: This a little ditty that's been in my mind and gotten me through this mini-hiatus. Season 8 spoilers. Although vague at that. A mid 8x4 episode insert. This story picks up shortly after Beckett meets with CSU's Carl and Esposito/Ryan in her office. Let's say for this story's sake that Castle planned this little interlude between spying on the boys. Also, that there really are shades on the doors to her office. I can't get over Beckett in that skirt suit. Mmmmm...In my mind neither can Castle. :) This is rated M, if you're not into sexy-time shenanigans, please look away. Also, if you're looking for plot, please look away. All those looking for a little dirty dirty in the captain's office...proceed.

 **Disclaimer: This is a labor of love. Not gaining anything off of MilMar's creation but the feels.**

Beckett was at her desk; flipping through the most recent dossier she'd put together for her mother's case. Not really focused on any one thing. Distracted by the itch to get her hands on that drug sample and the impending results. However, she knew better than to put her own name in that evidence log book. She'd sent an encrypted text to Vikram ten minutes ago with the instructions to get that ball rolling. She trusted this in his capable hands. Even if the waiting would drive her crazy.

With a definitive slap, the manila folder closed shortly before she shoved it into the desk drawer. Kate did her best to physically distance herself from it all. For now. Mental distance was another thing entirely. She needed a distraction and immediately fought the urge to call Castle. It was overwhelming. For his sake she couldn't go there. The only thing left at hand was precinct paperwork. She'd bury herself in it. Just as she'd done for the last couple weeks since leaving the loft. No time like the present. She dug in.

At this hour all the regulars had long since gone home. Ryan and Espo had just left to go out on the hunt. Phones were silent, finally. The homicide floor was quiet, thankfully. The soft sounds of the night janitor and random uniform cops lulled her into a false sense of security. She was so engrossed in the report that she paid no mind to the quiet snick of the door. Her guest entered silently and unbidden. She only looked up with the click of the interior lock.

"Castle…" Shock and uneasiness gave her pause. "What are you doing here? It's, late." Lame, she knew, but she was at a bit of a loss as to proper recourse here. He was ever her weakness and this behavior just seemed odd. She watched as he drew the shades on each door's window. He paused long enough to face her.

"I should be asking you the same. Sadly, I already know why you're here so late." He said calmly but with a predatory lilt to his words. He turned back to the windows. After weeks of playing it safe he was taking matters into his own hands. He walked with a purpose tonight, albeit slow and calculated. His retort raised her hackles. He knows too well her buttons to push.

"I work here Castle. What's your point?" She immediately regretted the question. Knowing the answer to that would just make this all the harder. So she didn't give him time to reply.

"In case it's slipped your memory you _don't_ work here anymore. Go home Castle." That last sentence delivered with such resignation. Her stomach rolled. Ugh, she hated to twist the knife like that but he needed to stay away. The less they were seen together the better.

Which must have synced with his thoughts exactly. She watched as he methodically made his way around her office. Slowly closing each and every set of shades on his way. Tight. The subtle glow from her small lamps now the only light in the room. It gave her office a strange aura of both claustrophobia and intimacy. Her palms got sweaty.

"That's no matter at the moment, Kate." Exuding a kind of confidence she hadn't seen in some time. He turned toward her with his first task complete. "That's not what I'm here for tonight."

With the last shade drawn in the corner behind her desk he was closer than she felt strong enough for. Still, she sat upright in her chair. Figuratively standing her ground. She felt her control of the situation quickly slipping. She mentally scrambled for an angle here. Her attempts at deferring him thus far all fell flat. She'd have to play hard ball.

"I asked for time, Rick." She paused, for dramatic effect. Chose not to make eye contact. Running a shaky hand through her hair. "I need you to trust me." She jumped when his warm hands hit the cool flesh of her shoulders. He'd sidled up to the back of her chair. Effectively pinning it between himself and the desk. He began to knead at the knots he knew all too well.

"I'm not here to rush you, Kate. I'm not asking to come back here and I'm not even asking for an explanation to this whole damn mess." So calm, so collected. Between the silky words and magic hands he was weaving his web over her.

Stubbornness stopped her from taking the bait and asking for his true purpose here. Deep down though, she knew. Forming any words would be a challenge at the moment anyway. His hands were quickly reducing her to a mindless drone. Starved for affection these last weeks she was momentarily incapacitated. He took that opportunity to unzip her dress just a few inches and effectively slide the shoulders straps down to settle over her biceps.

His advances didn't even register with her until he slid his hands down the front of her. He cupped her breasts with a firm grip. Skin to skin. He met her shocked eyes when she cranked her head around. He took what she presented and sealed his hungry lips to hers. It was all too intense. Like a dying man in the desert. That first sip of water both too much and not enough. The sweet familiarity of her bolstered his aim. He let her go briefly to change tactics. He moved to gently touch her cheek.

"It is a struggle to go through each and every day without knowing for certain if I'll get to see your gorgeous face. It's infinitely worse not to have you by my side in the wee hours of the night." His words made it through the fog of her brain. She knows that pain. That loss. Her heart called to him; couldn't stop it from shining in her eyes. But her brain was able to stop her mouth just short of commiserating aloud with him.

Her conflicted silence gave him the opening to spin the chair just enough so that they faced each other. He clutched her shoulders to help get her on her feet. Meet his eyes on the level.

"You so rarely wear a skirt to work." His eyes shone with a combination of lust and wonder. "I couldn't keep my eyes off your ass today." He slowly slid his right hand up her thigh, taking the skirt with it. All the while expecting to meet a barrier of underwear but finding none. Surprise quickly turning to burning need.

"I don't think you understand what you've done to my self control Kate." He gathered her closer with his other arm and rested his forehead against hers. Noses just touching, eyelashes mingling, and a shared breath. She was so far gone at this point there was no salvaging her restraint.

"Castle...please." It came out all breathy and desperate. Neither one sure if that was permission or not. But he took that as his cue anyway. He quickly slid her paperwork aside, rucked up the rest of her skirt, and set her on the edge of her desk. Gave her no time to think or second guess the situation.

He devoured her mouth. One hand tangled in her long hair. The other still on her rear pressing their torsos together. Oh, how she missed this! His smell, his taste, and his warmth. How good he's _always_ felt against her. How he makes her body buzz with even the slightest touch. She couldn't stop this now even if she wanted to.

Her arm's range of motion was limited by her dress. She released her death grip from the sides of his dress shirt to undo his belt and zipper. From there she slowly curved her hands around to his behind and gave him a liberal squeeze. Must have caught him by surprise as he broke the seal of their lips.

"Shit, Kate, I need you. So much." Castle murmured into her neck. His hands worked together to pull the top of her dress and bra down for access to her chest. His lips weren't far behind. Blazing a trail straight to her nipple. All tongue and teeth and a twist of the other with nimble fingers. He knew what she liked. It was enough to make a girl forget her own name. Speech itself was reduced to involuntary oohs and aahs.

Only her desire for more skin to skin contact drove her to action. She pushed down his pants and boxers. His jacket long since forgotten on the floor. He took the hint and helped to make quick work of the buttons on his shirt. Not quite getting it removed all the way before diving into her again.

She wrapped her long, bare legs around his waist. Digging her heels in for purchase. Good thing too because he took that opportunity to cradle her neck and lower her the rest of the way down onto the desk. The clatter of her name plate barely registering on her conscience. She had laser focus on the man commanding this affair. Much to her chagrin he didn't immediately follow her down. Castle chose instead to stand straight and gaze upon the scene. To revel in the reality of the setting.

"I thought having you on _my_ desk was the epitome of my fantasy." He paused to run his hands from her heels to her hips. Slow and steady. "This. Kate, this takes the cake." His eyes took on a wicked gleam.

She had a moment of clarity in which she was able to grasp the juxtaposition. It was a turn on. A major turn on. One she'd never let herself entertain. Nevertheless, here she was. Captain of the 12th spread out all hot and bothered before her husband. Wonders never cease. She closed her eyes before the possible ramifications could worm their way in.

He could see the conflict start to creep into her expression. Thinking too much again was she? Typical. He'd fix that. Fast. So he called to her.

"Kate, sweetheart?" So smooth and syrupy. He worked his hands onto the tender flesh of her inner thighs. "You know what they say about cake?" Slid his thumbs far enough in to check her readiness. Enough to tease but not satisfy. Finding her more than prepared.

"I'll have mine..." Somehow he'd found her chair behind him and pulled it forward. He'd have prime seating for which to continue this foray. "...and I'll eat it too."

The last thing she saw before her world went black was his trademark cocky grin. His strong hands held her slender legs wide open. So uncompromising. She could do nothing but take the sweet torture of his tongue. He was insatiable. The only thing grounding her to reality was the thick pelt of his hair though the grip of her fingers.

She didn't last long. Couldn't. He'd managed to wind her up so tight it was like a tsunami washing over her. She lay spent and half lucid while he lingered there. Breathing in her essence. Burning it into his memory. Not knowing the next time he'd get to worship at her font.

"You can't scream like that, Kate." Delivered so matter-of-factly. Wiping his face on her inner thigh managed to rouse her enough. His stubble doing the job. He spoke with a bit of a chuckle. "We can't have the Unis busting in on us."

He'd managed to stay hard the whole time and by God he wasn't going to have someone ruin this now. On his feet, chair forgotten, he bent over her sedate form. Chaste kisses to her jaw spurred her into action. She met his kiss and he once again found himself surrounded by her long legs. She added a squeeze for good measure.

"Now, Castle, please." She nuzzled into his neck. Lightly bit his earlobe. Then whispered to him. "I need to feel you inside me."

Assurances aside, he still needed a minute. More time. More Kate. This would all be over too soon. Determined to make her feel the depths of his love he met her gaze. His two hands framing her lovely face; smoothing back her long hair. He could come simply admiring those amber eyes. He soaked up as much as he could. This will all seem like a dream in the morning. When he wakes up alone. Better make it worth it. Bent on showing her what she's missing he moved. Quickly positioned himself and sunk home.

"Oh, God!" They gasped in unison. So much love and longing. So much unspoken. He couldn't hold on much longer. It had been too long. Her slick heat proving to be too much. Could feel it building already. He ran his hands up to her shoulders and slid her so her rear was closer to the edge. Needed more leverage. Needed to give it to her hard. Needed her to feel it still tomorrow. He grit his teeth to keep thrusting but the waves were coming for him now too.

"Come with me Kate." He needed her to get off again. With him. Together. She was losing control as he became more frantic. That was it. Ready or not. He buried his face in her neck and let it go.

A bit later he felt stable enough to pull back. Physically and emotionally. Untangled himself from her arms and legs. Hating to break the connection but they couldn't stay _here_ all night. He eased away from her. Lent her a hand to right herself as well. Sadly, she didn't fight any of it. Made no effort to reconcile. Just as well, he thought. Why ruin a perfectly good afterglow with more of her platitudes?

The silence was deafening as they fixed their clothing. Ever the gentleman, he zipped her up and backed away. Knew she needed space now. He couldn't exactly read her demeanor anyway. Conflict was evident but it lent no insight to the workings of her mind. Had this attempt of his made a difference? The jury was out on that. He wouldn't push.

For that she was grateful. True to his word, tonight, after all. There wasn't much she could say to make this better. No promises to offer. Nothing had changed. She still had to put his life above their relationship. Tonight was a blessing and a curse. She did her best to busy herself. Tidying up her desk on unsteady legs. Avoidance was her only way out alive here. One look to those baby blues now and she'd be following him home. She noticed him pause as he rounded her desk. Bent to retrieve her name plate from the floor. She saw him run his think fingers over the inscribed _Captain Katherine Beckett._ So gentle _._ He slowly put it in it's rightful place at the front of her desk.

"I won't stop pursuing you. I love you too much. Despite this separation." That was his truth. His mission. He paused a minute. Hoping she'd give him some comforting words in return. Anything. She could hardly meet his eyes. Hearing not a word he proceeded to leave. With a click of the lock and a twist of the knob he was halfway out her door when she finally spoke. So meek and tentative he almost missed it.

"I left the door open." She smoothed her palms down her wrinkled skirt. Her voice as strong as she could muster at the moment. She licked her lips as her mouth had become so parched. Managed to look up to see his perplexed expression. "When I left the loft that night. I left the door open...for a reason." She so wished he'd get it. Read between the lines, Rick! She didn't have the strength to elaborate. Seemed as though he did. Not that it really helped in any solid way. She still wasn't coming home with him. She could see the resignation all over his handsome face.

"I'll leave the light on for you Kate." With that he was gone. Pulled the door closed quietly behind him. All she could hope and strive for was that this mission of hers would be over before that light went out for good.


End file.
